


Never Let it Go

by Nefhiriel



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst and Humor, BFFs, Bucky Barnes Feels, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: The Winter Soldier Spoilers, Do You Want to Build a Snowman?, Emotional Baggage, Fluff and Angst, Freeform, Friendship, Frozen (2013) References, Gen, Inspired by Frozen (2013), Prompt Fill, Steve Rogers Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-23
Updated: 2014-04-23
Packaged: 2018-01-20 12:51:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1511189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nefhiriel/pseuds/Nefhiriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for this prompt:</p><p>  <i>"Steve's thought of a lot of things to say to get through to Bucky when he finds him. The one he settles for is 'Do you want to build a snowman?'"</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Let it Go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ROSSELLA1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ROSSELLA1/gifts), [Batwynn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batwynn/gifts).



> ...So, this just kind of happened. 
> 
> Written for [this prompt](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/19023.html?thread=43810895#t43840079) (and [this picture](http://batwynn.tumblr.com/post/82116678308/bucky-builds-a-no-man-sorry) \- art credit to the wonderful [BatWynn](http://batwynn.tumblr.com/) \- posted to the prompt, which totally pushed me over the edge and made me write this).

He was just on the other side of the door. Bucky. The friend who’d stuck with him through thick ‘n thin.

 _Bucky_. Sitting on the other side of the door. Steve had heard the sound of him settling his back against it; settling in to wait until Steve left him alone.

Like that was going to happen. He’d waited long enough for this without ever really expecting it to _happen_. Steve was optimistic—a real glass-half-full kind of guy—but there was a difference between optimism and being outright delusional.

Friends didn’t come back from the dead.

Except when they _did._

He still could hardly believe that the Soldier had dragged him from the Potomac. That the brainwashed “fist” of HYDRA had gone against all his training, fighting free, _saving_ him. And now he’d come back, too—he’d found _Steve._

Only to hole up like a scared animal, huddling for protection against a predator.

Tony and the rest of the team had given them space, backing off, leaving him to do what he needed to do to repair this fragile tie to his old friend. The best friend a guy could have.

Steve didn’t know how to repair this. But he had to try. He’d always try.

“JARVIS?” Steve whispered. “You mind turning the heat up a bit?” It felt cold. Steve hated the cold. And he had a feeling Bucky felt the same.

“Certainly, Captain,” JARVIS replied in a discretely quite tone.

“You cold, Buck?” Steve asked the door.

There was a long pause. Then, grudgingly, darkly (like he was trying to convince himself more than Steve): “Doesn’t bother me.”

“Bucky—”

“Steve, just— _let it go_.”

Steve rested his forehead against the cool surface of the door. He couldn’t let it go, but he didn’t say that aloud. But he was silent for a time, letting his thoughts drift. Finally, he settled for talking about nothing in particular, hoping that even if Bucky didn’t respond, he’d just _listen_. He’d keep remembering.

“New York’s beautiful in the snow, don’t you think? A fresh coat of snow makes everything look new. New, and hopeful.”

No response.

Steve continued. “The cold…it does bother me, sometimes. It reminds me…” He stopped, clearing his throat. Bucky didn’t need to hear about _his_ problems, too. Bucky had plenty of his own problems to deal with. “But I like the way it looks. I like the time leading up to the holiday season. We used to scrounge for ways to make it special, remember?”

No response.

Steve didn’t let it faze him. “We’d make snow angels. Have snowball fights. ‘Cause the snow’s cheap, right?” He chuckled. “Remember the monster snowman we built that one year? We were just kids. And I was so short, you had lift me up so I could decorate the face. Buck—you remember that?” 

Still, no response.

And, finally, the pointed silence weighed down Steve’s spirit. He’d wanted this so badly, and now that he had it…Bucky was as lost to him as ever. He was still alone in his memories.

Against his will, he felt tears pricking at his eyes as he tried to fight his way past the lump in his throat in order to keep talking. 

“Bucky…Buck. Do you…do you want to build snowman?”

This time, the silence was briefer, and the anger behind the words stung: “Go away, Steve.”

Steve closed his eyes. He wouldn’t give up. He wouldn’t. But Bucky wasn’t ready. Not yet. Steve would give him the space he needed, but he’d never be far away.

“Okay,” he took a deep breath, struggling with the urge to rip the door off its hinges and wrap his arms around his friend. Instead, he only agreed gently, “Okay, bye.”

 


End file.
